This Digital Media Expert Shares His 6 Pillars of Brand Loyalty That Will Work For Any Business Despite how crucial it is to growth and success, too many BIZ Experiencess find it challenging to forge strong customer relationships. Here are strategies that work.

A loyal, longtime customer is akin to fine wine: Producing it requires a considerable amount of work, and the aging process is where it truly pays off. Strong, lasting customer relationships help create a stable growth foundation. However, developing and nurturing them is no easy feat in a crowded marketplace. It requires, among other things, a laser focus on making them feel valued.

Here are seven strategies you can use to build yours.

1. Become a bank of information

Networking is a common strategy when trying to find customers, of course, and for good reason: it works. When you spot that potential client, get into the habit of getting their contact information down as soon as you can, and don't hesitate to share yours. This builds trust: When you're a reliable contact who takes the time and initiative to follow up, a potential client gains confidence and so is more likely to hire you.

2. Have their best interest at heart, not yours

It's not wrong to take advantage of every smart opportunity in front of you. However, if you hope to build a foundation of loyal customers, it's at least equally important to prioritize clients' needs over your own. They will sense when your main concern is not to serve their needs but rather to simply get all you can, and so you'll be hard-pressed to keep their business.

For example, encouraging a client to spend an extra $20 so you can reach your monthly goal is not worth jeopardizing trust. In the long run, putting customers' interests first will be in your best interest, too.

Related: 3 Surefire Ways to Extend Your Customer's Shopping Experience

3. Be authentic

While it may sound like a cliché, people are attracted to brands and businesses with personality. That's in part why spending time thinking about who you are and how you want to present what you do pays dividends. Authenticity helps you align more naturally with ideal clients, and automatically differentiates you from competitors. So, be yourself, certainly, but define what you want that to look like. This is not to say that a business should necessarily reflect you, although it can. The point is to identify how you want to come across in business dealings, then stay consistent.

4. Go above and beyond

Building loyalty all but requires going that extra mile. If you want a client's repeat business, they have to feel it. For example, if a buyer has a negative experience, do not hesitate to refund them. The loss of funds will be far outweighed by the value of building a reputation for integrity and customer service. Also take the time to at least occasionally call people instead of simply sending an email, and make sure to send frequent customers something special around the holidays. Each loyal, happy client goes a long way, in part because they'll likely become roving ambassadors for your brand — recommending it to others.

Related: Tips to Go Above and Beyond With Customer Service

5. Seek feedback

Consistently reflecting on yourself — including asking both the people you work with and clients how your business can best improve — is vital for long-term growth. Not only will this process leave these people feeling heard, but it will also fuel your evolution by supporting customer loyalty while attracting new business.

6. Build a rewards program

One amply-proven way of building customer loyalty is providing an incentive to engage with you again (other than reliably great work, of course). Rewards programs for long-term or otherwise returning customers — as well as for new ones — can motivate buyers to come back and/or spend more. This is an engine for growth in a variety of ways, in part because it amplifies lifetime customer value.

Related: 7 Easy Habits That Will Make Your Business More Sustainable (And Save You Money)